MLS surges ahead as Liga MX’s star power fades

MLS just scored another win in its ongoing rivalry with Liga MX — and this time, it’s not on the field. The two leagues constantly collide in competitions like the Concacaf Champions Cup and the Leagues Cup, but their battle for attention, signings, and global relevance is just as fierce. As the 2025–26 season kicks off, Liga MX finds itself trailing badly in the star‑power race.

Liga MX’s once‑glittering roster has thinned dramatically. The so‑called “league of stars” lasted barely a year. From a marquee lineup that included Sergio Ramos, Keylor Navas, Sergio Canales, Ángel Correa, André‑Pierre Gignac, Lucas Ocampos, Anthony Martial, James Rodríguez, and Allan Saint‑Maximin, only Navas and Ocampos remain. Everyone else has exited quietly — even Correa, who was at the center of a multimillion‑dollar tug‑of‑war between Tigres and River Plate.

Meanwhile, Major League Soccer has gone in the opposite direction, stacking talent at a pace that’s turning heads worldwide. Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, Heung‑Min Son, Marco Reus, Thomas Müller, and Rodrigo De Paul were already in place. Then came a blockbuster summer:

All three arrived on free transfers after their contracts with Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, and Manchester United expired — a massive coup for MLS clubs.

Liga MX’s exodus hits hard

Liga MX’s talent drain has been even more dramatic than it appears. Ramos left Monterrey in December 2025, but the real collapse came after the Clausura 2026: Canales, Correa, and Martial all departed, joining James Rodríguez, who left León for MLS (Minnesota United, where he lasted only three months). Gignac’s contract with Tigres expired without renewal.

Heading into the Apertura 2026, Liga MX has added only one notable name: Colombian goalkeeper David Ospina, formerly of Napoli and Arsenal. Beyond him, the league’s remaining star power rests on Navas, Ocampos, and possibly Paulinho — Toluca’s three‑time Golden Boot winner from 2024 to 2025.

The Liga MX “superstar era” turned out to be a fleeting dream.

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